Thermal insulating structure



Dec. 11, 1928.

H. MB. LINDSAY THERMAL INSULATING STRUCTURE Flled Dec 6 1926 JZ I AIIIIIII|||5||`- mnu llll ' Patented Dee. 11,1928.

UNITED STATES 1,694,941 PATENT- OFFICE.

HARVEY B. LINDSAY, F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 DRY ZERO COBPOBA- 'I TION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

THERMAL INSULATING STRUCTURE.

Application tiled December 6, 1926. Serial No. 152,842.

My invention relates more particularly to the insulation of structures comprising a frame-work, as for example of wood, defining the space to be insulated and forming .openings into such space and in which the insulating material is located; one ofthe lmost common structures of this character being the ordinary refrigerator box refrigerated by ice,'or by artificial refrigerating 1o means.

These structuresare commonly built with a sheet metal casing definin the refrigerating chamber and much di culty has been .25 gested and tried, to overcome it, but without;4

f satisfactory results.

My primary object is to provide improvements in structures of the character' above referred to, to the end that circulationof air as above stated, with the above mentioned .objectionable result, is prevented2 whereby the insulating material 1s maintalned comparatively dry in the continued use of the structure; to rovide for the accomplishment of this. resu t b simple and economical means and of suc character that the structure may be readily and inexpensively built; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description.

Referrin to the accompanying drawings .in which Ighave illustrated my invention as applied to a refrigerator of the artificially cooled type: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame-work of such a refrigerator. Figure 2 is a plan sectional View taken at the irregular line 2--2 on Fig. 1 and viewed inv the direction ofthe arrow, this view showing the structure illustrated in Fig-1 with the metallic refrigerating-chamber casing and the insulating body or unit forone of f the frame-'openings in position in the frame; and Figure 3, a. view in sectional elevation` of my improved insulating1 unit.

5 Referring first to t e -frame structure shown in the drawings, this structure is of common onstruction, it being formed of front uprlghts 4, rear uprights A5 and upper and lower cross members 6 and 7 defining at the upper portion of the frame a rectangu- 6o lar space 8 to receive the refrigeratingchamber-forming metal casing 9 and a lower space 10 in which the mechanism (not shown) for producing artificial cooling, is located.

The frame thus formed resents the upper and lower rectangular horizontally disposed openings 11 and 11 and the vertically disposed openings 12.

The openings 11 and 11a and the lopenings 70 12, exce t the one of the latter at the front of the raming, are provided for receiving bodies of insulating material, the opening 12 at the front of the framing being provided to receive the door (not shown) as commonly provided in structures of this general character. A

One of the similar insulating bodies, or

. units, for insulatin the casing 9, and which would be positione in the openings referred to in the frame, is represented at 13 and in accordance with the particular illustrated v embodiment of my invention, comprises generally stated a bodyof a suitable insulating `material 14 enclosed in a coverin or enve- 85 lope, of sheet material, referab y of such character as to present a igh degree of im` perviousness to thev passage of air therethrough and means which seal the 'oints between the edges of the covered'bo y 14 96 and the adjacent members of the framework.

' The body 14 may be of any suitable insulating material, as for example, and more "preferably, iibers or strands n comparatively loose or fluii'yA condition, the maintenance of which condition is desired, as for example'kapok and which it is desired be protected against moisture.

The envelope, or covering, for the body 111 may be of' any suitable material substantially impervious to the passage 1- there-- through of moisture, as for example waterproof paper. This envelope may be formed in any desirable way, as for example and preferably by providing two `sheets 15 of substantially the same shape and size as' 1^ the opening in which the insulating unit is to be located, with strips 16 of 'similar material applied about the marginal edges of 11o the bod 14 and folded into overlapped osition re ative to the marginal edges o the` the body portion of the unit at one face thereof, namely, the outer face of the -unit considering it in the position it-Aoccupies when assembled witlithe frame referred to, these flangesv extending continuously along `the edges of the covered body 14 and each extendin at both ends therebeyond, whereb these an e-portions are continuous about t e mar 'na edges of the unit. The covered bo portion of the unit being of a shape and7 size to fairly snugly fit the opening in the frame into 4which it is Ato be received, the continuous flangeportions 17 thus provided on the unit 13 overlap the faces of all of the walls of such frame opening; and upon positioning the unit in the frame-o ening as stated, these flange-portions 1 are sealed to the frame-work throu hout their continuous length. by any suitab e material, as for example asphaltum,

vto effectively seal the joints between the unit and the frame against the circulation of air therethrough and consequent deposition of moisture upon the outer surface of the metal casing 9.

The flangeortions 17 may be provided in any suitab e way, but preferably in the manner shown which involves providing a strip of suitable sheet'material for each edge portion of the insulating unit, the inner edges of these strip portions overlapping the adjacent turned edges of the strips 16 and the adjacent portion of the 'sheet 15 which j they oppose, to which the strips 17 are ad hered, as for example b means of asphaltum, to produce a sealedyjoint.'

-The insulating unit is preferably formed complete, namely, with the joint-sealing portions 17 thereon, preliminary tothe installation of these units in a refrigerating-structure frame, (where the portions 17 are formed of separate strips as described, these strips being preliminarily scaled to the sheet 15 as for example by asphaltum3) this being desirable, particularly where the body -14 of insulating material is relatively loose `or fluffy, as in the case of, kapok when provided in the most desirable condition, inasmuch as the onl pressure required to be exerted against the insulating unit in sealing the joints between it and the framing is a ainst the outwardly projecting flange-portions 17 which are backed by the adjacent frame members permitting of the forming of highly effectual seals, without crushing the insulating material 14 or. disturbing the proper positioning thereof in the opening in the frame. The sealing of the flanges 17 to the frame members may be effected in a number of different ways, one of which consists in using for the adhesive coating a film of asphaltum compound which may, and preferably is, applied to the flanges before introducing the bodies 13 into the` o nings in the frame, and after positioning t ese bodies iii the frame running a hot iron over the outer surface of the Harige members 17 to press them firmly against the surrounding surface members and soften the adhesive on the strip members to effect the desired sealing of the joints referred to. y

t will thus be understood that by constructing a refrigerator in accordance with my invention, circulation of nioistiire-laden air through the bodies 13 andthe joints between them and the walls of the openings in which they are located and into contact with the insulating material and the cold metal casing 9, with consequent condensation of moisture on the casing, and dampenin of the insulating material is prevented wit the manifest advantage. i

While I have illustrated and described aparticular construction embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to llimit it thereto, as the same may be variously modified and altered Without departing from the spirit `of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: t

1. As an article of manufacture, an insulating unit comprising a body of insulating material and sheet material relatively impervious to the passage of air there-V through extending across a face of saidbody and extending laterally throughout said body beyond the marginal edges of the latter to present flange portions extending entirely around said marginal edges, the inner face of said sheet throughout the area thereof opposingsaid body of insulating material being coated with an adhesive adhered to vsaid body.

sheet portions spaced apart and edge-covering portions surrounding the edges of said body and sealed to said sheets, said unit presenting about its marginal edges, at one face thereof, outwardly exten ing flangeportionsextending entirely around the edges ofthe covered body and adapted to overlie lating unit comprising a body of insulating ajaceof the -wall portions of a frame sur- 1 rounding the opening therein adapted to receive auch unit.

4. In combination, a frame presenting' anv opening for receiving an insulating unit,

and an insulating unit located lin said opentending flange-portions overlying a face ofl the walls efining said opening and so sealed to said walls as tojseal the joints between said unit and -frame against access of moisture therethrough. v 4

5..As an articlel of manufacture, an insulating unit comprising a body of insulating material and sheet material relatively impervious to the passage of air therethrough extending across a face of said body and laterally beyond said body to present flange portions extending entirely around said marginal edges, said body being held in position relative to said sheet material, and a. seal-forming` adhesive on one of the faces of said flange portions.

6. A s an article of manufacture, an insumaterial and s eet material relatively impervious to the passage of air therethrough extendin across a face of said body and laterallygbeyond said body to present flange portions extending entirely around saidl marginal edges and a seal-forming adhesive oni one of the faces of said flange portions and of such character that heat applied thelreto renders itadherent for producinga sea 7. As an articleV of manufacture, an insulatmg unit comprising a body of .insulating material and an envelope enclosing said body, said unit presenting about its margin- 1 8. As an article of manufacture, an in- Y sulating unit comprising a body of insulating material and sheet material relatively impervious to the passage of air therethrough extending across a face of said body and extending laterally beyond said body throughout the marginaledges of the latter to present flange portions extending entirely around said marginal edges, the

inner face of said sheet throughout its area,

including the flange portions thereof, being coated with an adhesive to which said body is adhered, the coating on said'flange portions of said sheet serving as a means`of sealing said unit in its position of use.

HARVEY B. LINDSAY; 

